The CEO of Sinclair Broadcast Group on Wednesday said the conservative media company does “not have any interest” in hiring former Fox News star host Bill O’Reilly, who left the cable network amid accusations of sexual harassment months after striking an eight-figure settlement over similar allegations.
Sinclair Broadcast Group CEO Chris Ripley made the announcement on a company earnings call, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
“We get approached by people all the time, which is probably where these reports were coming from,” Ripley said, as quoted in the report. “He did approach us. We do not have any interest in hiring him.”
“Our CEO stated definitively that we have no interest in hiring Mr. O’Reilly on our earnings call this morning,” a Sinclair Broadcast Group spokesperson confirmed to the Hollywood Reporter.
NBC News reported last week that O’Reilly and Sinclair Broadcast Group were “about midway” through talks as O’Reilly reportedly negotiated for a position at the conservative media company.
Sinclair in May denied that the network was courting O’Reilly or Fox News anchor Sean Hannity.
O’Reilly left Fox News in April amid accusations of sexual harassment. The New York Times reported in April that O’Reilly and 21st Century Fox struck settlement agreements with at least five women for a total of $13 million related to similar misconduct allegations.
The New York Times reported on Oct. 21 that O’Reilly in January struck a $32 million settlement agreement with Lis Wiehl, a former Fox News legal analyst, over allegations “of repeated harassment, a nonconsensual sexual relationship and the sending of gay pornography and other sexually explicit material” to Wiehl.
21st Century Fox extended O’Reilly’s contract months later, according to the report.
Sinclair wanted to avoid the downside of this potential headline: "Sinclair Broadcast Group Hires Sexual Predator."
Yup, he’s officially done. Just retire, loser
That’s cold. They could have at least been tactful and said he was overqualified.
"We do not have any interest in hiring him.”
Translation:
“Even though we have more money than fucking God, we really do not feel like shelling out $32M every 6 weeks because our newest hire enjoys jacking off in front of the help.”
“We get approached by people all the time,…”
Ouch.